Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Laura Ray. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Laura thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?
I hope that when people think of me, they know that anyone (especially if they are a female) can do ANYTHING they put their mind to. Basically, if Laura Ray can put herself through college on her own, survive an abusive, alcoholic husband – who happened to be the spitting image of her father who died at 49, marry and divorce her abuser twice, leave with her two young daughters (2 & 4) with no financial help, find the love of her life at 44, was a mid-six figures sales legal specialist, retired from corporate America to become a co=owner of a successful indie record store, put together a national PBS documentary series about indie record stores (PAPA RAY’S VINTAGE VINYL ROADSHOW), wrote several ‘memoir’ cookbooks, and for the last ten years, co-produced/directed both a live and now a televised show called “MAMA SAID, MAMA SAID’ – a series of inspirational stories about motherhood. Proceeds of the show have always gone to local St. Louis non-profits. You just have to believe in yourself and in your project, do everything for all of the right reasons, and be willing to work their butts off in order to accomplish their goals. Also, ALWAYS believe in Karma and the very simplistic Golden Rule.
Laura, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Laura Roodman-Edwards-Roodman-Edwards Ray (I stupidly married the same man with the same problems twice until I married the love of my life twenty years ago, hence the very long name), have two daughters and one stepson close by. I am the Executive Director of Papa Ray’s Vintage Vinyl Roadshow – a national PBS documentary series about independent record stores, the co-owner of an indie record store, Vintage Vinyl – which was voted one of the 10 Best by USA Today, and have written several ‘hilarious’ (just ask me) cookbooks called ‘Brain Dead in the Burbs & Cooking Your Way Back to Sanity- a memoir’, My two best friends, Regi Drake & Fritzie Reeves also joined me to co-star in a YouTube cooking show called ‘Brain Dead & Cooking with Friends.
Since 2013, I’ve co-produced and directed a show with my two wonderful friends, Sioux Roslawski and Terry Baker called ‘Mama Said, Mama Said’. It’s a live show of real stories about motherhood. Our slogan has always been ‘You’ll Laugh, You’ll Cry, You’ll Be Inspired’. We donate the proceeds to local non-profits, and last year we were asked to televise the show. The ratings were fantastic – wonderful for our cast, St. Louis and our non-profit, AND this year- we are turning the live show into a 5 episode television series.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
After 17 years in a very stressful commissioned sales job, I realized that my husband who owns a 7,000 square foot, converted movie theater, very cool record store loved going to work every day, while as my hair was falling out of my head due to stress, I dreaded going to work every Monday. When his partner wanted to retire, I took my pension and bought him out. It’s been fantastic to follow my dreams writing, directing and producing a show that helps to promote indie record stores all over the country as well as around the world (we visited about 30 stores in the UK before the pandemic. I also finished writing my cookbooks, and then with our show, Mama Said, Mama Said – it has truly become a St. Louis tradition. We’ve read hundreds of real-life stories that mean so much to both the cast and the audience. It’s truly been the best, most creative experience I’ve ever had. We choose a specific non-profit (usually one that ties to one of the stories we pick) to donate the proceeds, which ends up being a win/win every year!
How’d you meet your business partner?
My two partners of Mama Said, Mama Said were actual fans of the show, had both tried out several times, and became cast members several years later. They loved the show so much and saw the affect the show had on the both the cast members as well as the audience, they wanted to volunteer and do whatever they could to help out. They even called themselves my ‘Bad Ass Minions’ (BAMS for short). When one of my original partner’s had to move to Washington D.C.,and the other became ‘burnt out’. I asked my wonderful ‘BAMS’ to join me as equal partners. It’s been a blast – because we absolutely love our mission, and are thrilled that the show has not only become a tradition in our city, but now the show is going national on PBS.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mamasaidshow.com; www.paparaysvintagevinylroadshow.com
- Other: Mama Said, Mama Said – https://www.pbs.org/video/mama-said-mama-said-sjl7vi/ PAPA RAY’S VINTAGE VINYL ROADSHOW – Trailer: https://youtu.be/YYwn_e2dMtI PAPA RAY’S VINTAGE VINYL ROADSHOW – The Pilot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1vztBDeA24&authuser=1